Shining Star: The Story of Luigi and Rosalina
by Ben the Scribe
Summary: This is the story that comes before the events of Super Mario Galaxy. It is based on MatPat's Game Theory where Rosalina is Luigi's daughter and explains why she left the Mushroom Kingdom. It is the story of family.. and loss.
1. Chapter 1: Stargazing

"As long as those stars shine, I will always love you."

That's what I once told my daughter, but after I lost her, I wonder… does she still believe that? Did she leave because of me? I don't blame her, but what I would give to see her again, my dear Rosalina, my shining star.

It was a few days before the great Festival of Lights. We were expecting to see a meteor shower. Mario and I decided to take our families and watch it together. We planned to see it at our special place, the lone hill with one tree on top surrounded by hundreds of pink flowers. It's where my brother first met his wife, Princess Toadstool, and where I proposed to my dear Roseanne. It was a magical place.

We adults sat at the top of the hill, admiring the view of the kingdom as the night sky filled with stars. The kids were playing around the hill. Mario Jr. was pretending to rescue "Princess Rosalina" from the evil Pig Monster, played by Little Luigi. It was nice naming one son after me, but it gets a little confusing when people start calling our names.

"Fear not, dear princess!" Mario Jr. was swinging a stick around heroically. "I shall save you from the evil pig monster!"

"Bwa ha ha, you will never defeat me! Soon I will rule the entire land!" Luigi shouted, standing in front of Rosalina as to prevent Mario Jr. from reaching her.

All I saw next was two little brothers yelling and chasing each other, running as fast as their young, seven-year-old legs can go. I think they forgot about the "Princess." She was randomly running around the hill. I don't think a four-year-old knew the concept of pretend just yet.

"Alright kids come back up! It's time for the meteor shower!" Toadstool's voice was smooth but stern, pretty effective when trying to get kids to listen.

"Come on, Rosalina. Come to Mommy!" Roseanne called. The kids scoured back up the hill and sat down under the tree, while trying to catch their breath. It was almost time to see the stellar spectacle, but the stars already in the night sky was breath-taking enough. Millions of light dazzling and sparkling. They were so far way but felt no near as if I could just reach out and grab one.

The shapes they arranged in amazed the kids as they tried to guess what each constellation looked like. One looked like a flower, another, a mushroom, and another, a Yoshi egg.

"I want to see the stars up close." Mario Jr. said. "One day, I want to go to space and see them closer."

"Okay," his dad chuckled. "You go ahead and do that."

"Wait! I wanna go, too." Rosalina yelled. She turned towards me. Can you tell Mario to take me with him?"

"Okay." I said. "Junior, take Rosalina with you."

"Aw!" Mario Jr. groaned.

"Yay! Can you come too, Daddy?"

I was touched that she wanted to include me in this future "journey." "Of course, my little super star. I would love to go with you." I could easily see her face of satisfaction.

"Thank you, Daddy. I love you so much."

Moments likes these I really cherished. Having my daughter look at me with her blue innocent eyes and with a smile that could warm even the coldest of hearts. I felt like I could do no wrong. "I love you, too!" I said back.

"How long will you love me?" she said. I was not prepared for this. I thought kids usually ask, "How much?" But how long will I love her? I turned to Roseanne, hoping to get some support, but she just shrugged her shoulders. I think she was just as surprised as I was.

Obviously, I will love her for eternity, but I couldn't say that. Rosalina didn't know what an eternity meant. I pointed to the night sky with all the stars and said, "You see all those stars?"

"Uh huh."

"As long as they shine in the sky at night, I will always love you."

"Wow!" Rosalina said with awe.

I could hear Roseanne and Toadstool going "Awwww." I think they were impressed my touching sentiment.

Mario was not impressed. "Didn't you use that cheesy line when you proposed?"

"Hey!" Toadstool said, giving Mario a hard nudge. "It's still a lovely thing to say. Honestly, I wish you would say things like that."

"Oh? What about this?" Right then, he gave toadstool a big kiss. The kids looked away in disgust.

Suddenly, a sudden streak of white light flew past the sky, then another, and another. The meteor was starting. Thousands of falling stars painted the black canvas with their luminescent beauty. The children gazed in awe, witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Rosalina most of all. Her eyes grew big out of amazement, maybe thinking if this is what she would see if she went to space.

I held Roseanne close, both of us leaning on the lone tree on the hill, keeping one hand around her shoulder. "Are you having a good time?" I asked her.

"The best." She said with a gentle smile.

"You know I will love you always, too?"

"And I you." She leaned her head on my shoulder. I held her tighter as the lights continued to give their shining performance.

"Hey, look at that one." Little Luigi said, pointing at his new discovery.

We all turned to where he was pointing, and there it was. A bright light, slightly larger than the other stars, emitting a combination of white, yellow, and orange. It was a lovely sight to behold, but I just had one question. _Why was it bigger? _The we heard what sounded like roaring fire, getting louder and louder.

Then I realized this star wasn't getting bigger. It was getting closer, and this star wasn't a star.

It was a missile! A Bullet Bill, coming right towards us.


	2. Chapter 2: The Attack

"Momma?!" Rosalina cried out of fear and confusion.

"Get down!" Mario yelled, as he took my wife and daughter, darting right down the hill. My family and I did the same.

The Bullet Bill flew past us, nearly hitting the hill, sending a shockwave that shook the tree. _Did it miss its target? _It didn't. The Bullet Bill did hit its target, the Mushroom castle. All I could hear was blazing fire, crumbling stone, and citizens screaming in terror.

I turned around, trying to find the source of this missile, and there it was. Out in the distance, airships, dozens of them. They were all heading towards the castle. I already knew who was behind all this: King Koopa. He was at it once again to conquer the mushroom kingdom. My brother and I have battled this ruthless tyrant before, each time with victory. This tactic he was using now was unusual. He would try to kidnap the princess, but now he was trying to lay waste to the land. But why?

I knew this was no time for questions. I had to make sure that my family and all the toads in the kingdom were safe. "Quick!" Mario said, already thinking of a plan. "We need to get everyone to the castle safe room."

"But aren't the airships trying to destroy the castle?" I asked.

Suddenly, I heard a loud boom. The cannons fired more Bullet Bills towards the castle and the town nearby.

"There's no time! It's the only place to keep everyone safe."

I looked at my daughter and my wife's worried faces. _Should I take them to where the enemy is trying to go? Should I try taking them to my house? No, I can't! I would have to run towards the airships, and I can't let Mario handle the fight by himself. _I had no other choice. We had to go to the safe room, even if I didn't like it.

"Okay! Let's go!" I said to Mario. I picked up Rosalina and grabbed Roseanne's hand. Mario did the same with his own. Then we ran. My heart raced, filled with fear and worry. I wanted to keep my family safe, but now, I was ducking cover while running towards a castle now in flames.

We finally made it. The safe room was under the castle. We had to go to the front hall, then take the door that lead to the staircase downstairs.

When we arrived, there was someone waiting for us, at a state of panic.

"Toadsworth!"

"Ah! Master Mario, Luigi, Princess! Thank goodness you are alright! Oh, this is disastrous indeed! Oh, Master Mario, what are we going to do!?"

"Stop worrying, Toadsworth." Mario said. "We just need to bring all the citizens to the saferoom. Luigi and I will use the cannons on the roof to blast ourselves onto the airships and destroy them before they can reach us."

"Ah, right then, but how does that take care of the soldiers?"

"Soldiers?"

Toadsworth pointed outside the airships. They were dropping of King Koopa's henchmen with the help of paratroopas. He sent goombas, hammer koopas, fire koopas, and sledgehammer koopas. They charged right toward us, destroying and setting ablaze everything in their sight, including the mushroom town.

Mario quickly sprung into action, "Get Captain Toad! Tell him to get as much toad warriors he can find and attack those soldiers. They are not going to destroy us."

"Alright, then!" Toadsworth replied, now calmed down. "Let's get to it!"

Mario then turned to his frightened family. Even Toadstool was scared. She had survived multiple kidnappings, but not a full assault.

"You three stay safe, okay. I'll be right back." With that, he embraced them, then started running upstairs.

I really envied my brother's ability to act quickly, without much fear. I was never like that, and I wasn't acting fearless now. I turned to my family. They were just as scared as me. I didn't know what would happen. _Would this be the last time I see my only wife and child? _I couldn't bear to let that happen.

"Promise me," Roseanne said, holding my hand, both of them trembling, "that you would come back."

"I will." I replied. I wasn't sure I was honest with myself, but I knew I had to keep this promise. I kissed her, then looked at Rosalina, bursting in tears.

"I don't want you to go, daddy! Please don't go! I don't want you to go!"

_How could I leave her even though she wants me to stay? _I knelt down to her, and looked straight in her eye, "Don't worry, everything's going to be okay." I gave one final hug and made my way to the castle top. It was time to fight.

I could see everything on the castle rooftop: the airships, the advancing koopas, the buildings and homes ablaze, and the toad warriors defending their kingdom. On the top were two cannons ready for Mario and me to jump into. Mario and Toadsworth were already there, waiting for me.

"Master Luigi," Toadsworth said, "the cannons are ready for launch… I wish you best of luck."

"Thank you," I replied.

"Here is a fire flower for each of you."

"Thanks," Mario turned to me. "You ready?"

I didn't know what to say. I just gave a slight nod. Then we both jumped into the cannons. They quickly took aim at the airships.

Toadsworth shouted, "Ready?!"

My heart pounded faster. I didn't know if it was because I was getting shot out of a cannon, or because I was about to enter the heart of the storm.

"AIM!"

I could only think of my promise. _I will come back. I will come back._

"FIRE!"


	3. Chapter 3: The Counterattack

And with that, two loud blasts, shooting Mario and me straight through the air…to the airships. I kept my eyes straight ahead. I couldn't miss the landing on this ship. After a few seconds of flying, I felt my body descending and my feet hitting wood. I was on the deck of one of the ships.

"Let's go." Mario said. It was time to fight. We both used our fire flowers and started firing at the ships. Each of us broke through the hull, either by the door or by ground-pounding the top deck. We went to the engine room, removing anyone in our way. We then destroyed the engine, leading the ship to its decent, but we had to steer the ship away from anything important.

One by one, the fleet started to decrease. Jumping to each ship wasn't the hard part. That is what we were known for after all. It was evading the artillery from other cannons and the crew hurling hammers, fireballs, and even themselves onto us. It didn't matter where we were. They were determined to destroy us.

We had some close calls, but we were still successful. There were only a few ships left. _Are we going to win this? _I looked down, and it looked like the toad warriors were winning on the ground. I felt calmer. _Maybe I didn't need to worry so much. _Mario and I jumped together on another ship. He looked at me and gave me a slight nod. He didn't seem to be worried either.

We combined our ground pounds together and burst through the main deck, with the crew ready to greet us. We took them down easily, with the help of our Fire Flower. Finding the engine room was simple, but strangely, it was guarded by two sledgehammer brothers. Bursting through their defenses once again, Mario entered the room first.

"There it is," Mario said eagerly, "If we disable it now, the ship can land in the fields."

But then, someone came out of the shadows behind the engine. It was a Koopa, but not like any other. Its shell was spiked all around his shell; claws protruded out of his hands; a crown was atop his head. This was the King Koopa.

My early confidence shattered. My heart started beating faster and faster. My hand trembled again. This was the one who kidnapped Mario's wife time and time again. We always defeated him but seeing him still frightened me.

His dark, menacing voice emerged, "Well…you have come at last."

_Come at last? Was he waiting for us to blow up his ships? Was this all a ruse? But why? _

"I think you overstayed your welcome already, Koopa!" Mario's eyes had a fury hotter than the Fire Flower's flames, "You're going to pay for all the destruction you caused, then we'll kick you back to your wasteland."

"Y-Yeah!" I said, "There isn't a chance you'll get the princess."

"Oh, but my dear, meddlesome plumbers, the princess has become a second priority. My target now is you."

"For what?" Mario asked.

"Why, for a test, a test of worthiness. I have to see if he can pass."

Suddenly, the floors dismantled below us, destroying nearly a third of the engine room. And from the debris came…another Koopa. He had the same spiked shell, clawed hands, spiked tail, and menacing demeanor. He seemed younger, leaving me with more questions.

"What the…two Koopas?" Mario looked concerned.

The younger Koopa spoke, "I am Bowser, son of King Koopa, rightful ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, and the demise of the Mario Brothers."

Mario took a defensive stance, legs spread apart, one in front of the other, keeping his arms close to his chest. "Careful, Luigi. We don't know what this 'Bowser' can do." I gulped and nodded, taking a similar stance. I didn't know what to expect. This was a new foe for both of us.

There we all were, King Koopa at the back, near the engine. Bowser stood gruesomely in the middle, right in front of the gaping hole he just created, leading to the ship's bottom floor. Mario and I stood on the other side of the hole, fireballs at the ready. _I hope we can take them down before they reach the castle. _

Bowser turned his head to his father, who had his arms crossed and a serious look on his face. It was as if he was waiting for his father's permission. King Koopa gave him a nod, and Bowser turned back to us with a dark grin. I didn't know what would come next. All we could do was wait for his attack.


	4. Chapter 4: Bowser's Strike

A burst of flame shot right out of Bowser's mouth, hurling straight towards us. We both jumped away in opposite directions, avoiding the hole. We slid towards the edges of the ship. Bowser then darted towards Mario. Every step he took pounded the wooden floor. Mario tried shooting his fireball at Bowser's face, but he covered his face with his arm. I tried hurling some too, but he blocked it with his shell. The fireballs were like sparks to him.

Bowser jumped towards Mario, arms out, ready to sink his claws into him, but Mario was nimble. He ducked, jumped back, and slid past the incoming slashes. He then jumped and gave Bowser an uppercut to the jaw, sending both of them to the air. To make distance, Mario kicked him with both legs back to the other side of the hole. Bowser was able to get back up, but he did have a hard time getting back up after landing on his spiked shill. He regained his composure, more furious than ever.

"Luigi! I have a plan!"

I was thinking the same thing. _Bowser's front looks like his only weakness, so it's time we exposed it together. _

One battle cry later, we both charged straight to the enemy. As Mario ran around the sides, I jumped straight across the hole. I dodge Bowser's fireball midair as I landed across. Mario threw punches and kicks at his chest, while I stayed at a distance by shooting fire wherever my brother wasn't attacking. Unfortunately, Bowser seemed to be trained for this instance, blocking my flames with his back and slashing at Mario to force his distance.

I needed to help my brother recuperate. I used the ship's walls to perform my special horizontal jump, shooting myself like a missile towards Bowser's face. I hit him…straight on his jaw. Seeing him take damage made my confidence resurge.

_Looks like we do have a chance. _But now, Bowser looked even angrier and roared an ear-bursting roar. The fight wasn't over yet, but I knew how this was going to end. I was that confident now, and it seemed Mario was just as sure.

"Alright, let's go again!" Mario said.

The battle continued. It was like a chess match, taking turns making moves. Punch, kick, slash, dodge, counterattack, jump, and fire. We each landed hits and took hits, but nothing was effective to end the battle. We were all getting weary, ready for the moment to strike the final blow.

_After all this fighting, I think we'll reach a stalemate. _"Luigi, get close to Bowser and fire at close range!"

_Close range? What kind of plan is this? Doesn't he see the claws on that thing? _But it was a plan, and right now, I wanted to end this before I collapse of exhaustion. As Mario ran towards Bowser, he started punching and clawing at him, which gave me a target at Bowser's face. I came close, shooting at his head. Bowser looked quite tired of this trick. He shielded the fireballs with his arms and tried to turn his shell towards me.

" Keep on him!" Mario shouted. So, I did, running in the same direction Bowser was turning.

In fury, Bowser started shooting at me. I dodged as much as I could, but one of them hit me right in my chest, sending me soaring backwards, right into the hole. I quickly grabbed a plank that was barely connected to the floor we were on. I struggled to get back up, but I saw Bowser running towards me, wanting to give me the final strike.

But then, he tripped, falling right on his stomach. I was perplexed, but I took no time to climb back up. Suddenly Bowser was sliding on the wooden floor, what seemed to be all on his own. That was more perplexing. But I saw Mario grabbing and swinging him by the tail.

_The tail, of course. That's his other weakness. _I was glad Mario figured it out. Mario kept on swinging, faster and faster, until Bowser stopped dragging on the floor and started suspending in air.

I turned towards King Koopa, seeing if he was going to do something. But he didn't. He just stood there with his usual grimacing face. It looked sadder and angrier, like he was disappointed.

Mario kept swinging faster until he reached the edge of the hole. Finally, with one more swing, he threw Bowser directly into the air. He broke the top deck, soared upward, hit one of the ship's propellers, then crashed back down through the top deck, landing back on the engine floor.

He just laid there. _Did we just defeat King Koopa's son? _Mario was out of breath as he put his hands on his knees. My knees fell to the floor.

"No…no…I can't lose…not to you plumbers!" Bowser was getting back up, groaning in pain and in embarrassment.

Mario's righteous fury came through all his weariness. "It's over Bowser. You lost. Now turn this ship around and call off your army before we throw you and your dad out."

"Father?" Bowser looked at King Koopa. He looked like he wanted to know what his father had to say. But all King Koopa did…was turn his back and walked away.

Bowser's eye grew in shock and in sadness. He reached out his hand. "Father, wait!" At this point, both of them knew he failed. His sad face turned to anger. He looked right toward us. His pupils shrank to the size of dots.

"Mario…You…You." He started breathing in. His mouth turned a glowing orange and yellow, getting bigger and bigger…Just like the "star" Mario Jr. saw. He was charging a fire blast to end it all.

"Look out!" Mario shout.


	5. Chapter 5: Escape the Ship

Bowser fired. A hurling burst of flame came at us at high speed. Mario and I had a fraction of a second to react. I jumped to the top floor, and Mario sidestepped towards the wall. _That was close. _

The blast kept moving, straight towards the engine…where King Koopa was standing. Koopa turned back to see what the sound and light was about. His eyes grew big.

The engine exploded, sending a shockwave that knocked me and my brother backwards. Everything was ablaze.

Bowser stood there with bloodshot eyes and small pupils. He was breathing slowly. It was as if he was in a mode of uncontrollable rage. But then, he started to calm down. His eyes returned to normal, now seeing the damage he made on the ship.

"Father?" he said, looking around for him. He finally saw him…falling off the ship and plummeting to the ground. "FATHER!" He ran and jumped straight out of the ship, which was now descending from the sky, straight to the castle.

I woke up after being unconscious for a few seconds, only to see everything on fire and to feel like I was slowly falling. I knew I had to get out, but I had to make sure the ship wasn't going to hit anything. I ran to the front, and my fears came true. It was headed straight for the castle center.

"Mario?"

"Over here. We got to get off the ship!"

"We can't. We have to steer the ship away from the castle." I started looking frantically for the place to steer.

"I think it's too late for that!" He gestured towards all the surrounding flames.

I didn't listen. I just kept looking, running around the deck until I found the steering wheel, right behind a wall of flames. I sprinted towards the wheel, trying to find a part of the floor that wasn't on fire.

I reached the wheel and tried turning it in any way I could, just to take it away from the castle. It wouldn't budge. I could only guess that the explosion made the rubble jam the rudder. I could see the flames getting closer to me.

"Maybe if I just push harder…" I put all of my body weight, trying to turn the spokes. Suddenly, I felt a budge. The wheels were slowly turning. I had a glimmer of hope that I could move this ship. Until,

"Luigi, stop that! We need to get off this ship." Mario shouted.

"But it's going to crash with the castle!"

"And we're going to burn with the ship if we don't get off."

"But… what about Roseanne… and Rosalina?"

"They'll be okay, they're in the safe room.

"But…"

"If we stay any longer, you won't keep your promise."

_What should I do? Should I just let it crash and risk their lives or try to turn it and risk mine? But they're in the safe room. It's prepared for stuff like this. But what if it isn't safe? They could all die because of me. Mario could be helping me turn this wheel. _

_ But what if he's right? What if I do burn with the ship. My bravery would be for nothing, but maybe it isn't. What do I do?_

I felt the intensity of the flames drawing near me. I started sweating, not just because of the flames, but also because of my fear and worry.

I let go of the wheel, ran, and jumped out of the fire. Mario and I now leaned at the edge of the ship. It was flying very low, right near our hill.

"Jump!" Mario shouted as he took a few steps back. He long jumped right out of the ship towards the tree on the hill. I had to jump fast. I already lost time looking at him. I took a few steps back.

I jumped, arms and legs out wide, hoping to catch some branch or limb to cushion my fall. I landed near the top edge of the tree, constantly getting scratched by the twigs and branches. Then I hit the ground with a big thud. I could barely stand back up. All the excitement, exhaustion, and pain decided to hit me all at once. I just laid on the ground, breathing heavily.

I turned my head towards the ship. I could only wait for the vessel in flames crash into a castle that had my family inside it. I couldn't bear to look. I shut my eyes tight and looked away. I didn't want to know what happened.


	6. Chapter 6: Find the Family

All I could hear was the crash. The sound of the shockwave almost cancelled my heartbeat. There was no explosion, just a ship colliding with a castle. I could just hope that everyone in the safe room was okay. My legs still ached after running so much and jumping off a ship. I still had to get up. When I did, I saw the remaining airships turning around and leaving. One of them descended to pick up Bowser…and a former King Koopa. The foot soldiers were in retreat as well, thanks to Captain Toad and the other Toad Warriors. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing the battle was over.

I looked back at the flame-engulfed castle, and I saw people coming out. They were the ones in the safe room. I ran towards them, limping on one leg. Mario followed, looking more beat up than me. I scuffled through the crowd, calling their names.

"Rosalina! Roseanne! Rosalina!"

"Luigi?!"

I turned around to the sound of the voice. "Roseanne?" It wasn't Roseanne. I saw Princess Toadstool's kids grabbing her hands tightly, bawling, probably because of the chaos that went on.

"Luigi, have you seen Mario?"

"Yes, he was right over…"

"Toadstool!" Mario shouted

"Oh, Mario!" They gave each other a big embrace. "Please tell me you're okay."

"Don't worry. I'm…" He groaned in pain. "I'm fine." He tried picking up Mario Jr., I was surprised he did. We all took a look around, seeing all the citizens shocked and frightened. "We need to find a way to calm everyone down."

"And still need to find my family!" I started running through the crowds.

"But Luigi, wait." I didn't hear. I had to keep moving until I found. But no matter where I looked around the crowd, I couldn't find them.

_Maybe they didn't make. Maybe they didn't survive the crash. It's my fault. I should have turned the ship._

"Daddy!" I knew that voice all too well. I was so glad to hear it. She started running towards me. Toadsworth was right behind her, even though it looked like he had trouble keeping up.

I picked her up and gave her the biggest hug. She was crying. I almost did, but I was just glad she made it. My heart has went through a lot of emotional cycles, and honestly, I didn't think I could take another.

"Ah, Master Luigi. I'm so glad to see you accomplished your mission. I am correct to assume that your brother is alright, yes?"

"Mario's fine. I'm glad everyone made it okay."

"Oh, Yes…Well…" His face turned pale. He seemed to try to cover his somber look.

"Toadsworth, where's Roseanne?"

"Um…She's…"

I put Rosalina down as quickly as I could. "Stay here, okay?" I ran towards the castle.

"Master Luigi, please do not." But I didn't listen. I just ran for the flames.

I busted through the front doors. I started coughing. All I could see was smoke and pieces of wood that came from the crashed ship. The rubble was all either stained black or in flames. It was immensely hot in the castle, but I didn't feel a thing. I was too focused on finding her.

I first checked the safe room, but she wasn't there. No one was. The room was completely unscathed. Nothing inside was damaged. _It seemed like everyone inside was safe. But if that were true, where is my wife?_

I ran back to the main hall, overturning every piece of rubble. Thoughts went through my head. _Is she gone? No, I can't believe that lie. I shouldn't. My promise. I said I would come back to her. I need to fulfill my promise. _

Then, I saw it, right near what was supposed to be a window, a hand…a human hand. It was buried under large planks of wood and a few large stones. I sprinted, lifting the planks and stones with a new-found strength. I managed to remove everything. I found her body, cut, beaten, burned, and covered in soot and ash. Her eyes were closed.

"Roseanne?" No answer. I put my head on her chest. No heartbeat. I tried opening her mouth. No breathing.

_This couldn't be. Not after all I have been through. _


	7. Chapter 7: One Lost

I lifted her out of the rubble and busted out of the castle.

"Toadsworth!" I shouted. Everyone turned towards me.

"Toadsworth, get a doctor, quick!" Toadstool said.

"Right away Princess!"

I laid her on the ground. Everyone was surrounding me.

"Please, everyone stand back." Toadstool told the crowd, and they backed up. She turned towards Rosalina, who was still holding Mario's hand. "Sweetie, I need you to go with your uncle now."

"But what about Daddy?"

"Not to worry, sweetie. Your daddy is okay."

Before Rosalina could protest anything, Mario picked her up and walked away from me and Roseanne, with his kids next to him. Rosalina tried getting out of his grasp, but Mario kept trying to tell her that everything was going to be okay.

Even Mario's children were curious about why Roseanne was lying on the ground and why I looked so frightened and sad. "Is Aunt Roseanna dead?" Mario Jr. asked.

"Shhhhhh…" Mario didn't want to disturb his niece, but by the looks of it, he knew the answer.

It seemed like an eternity for the doctor to arrive. I still had some questions about all this. "Toadsworth, how did this happen? Why was my wife out of the safe room?"

"Uh, well…" I saw that same pale face. "We were all in the safe room, but we heard a loud explosion. Rosalina wanted to see you and when she heard the blast, she ran out of the room. Your wife tried to catch her. I tried to keep up, but I couldn't."

_So, Rosalina left the safe room and put her life and my wife's life in danger?_

Toadsworth continued, "I went up stairs and saw Rosalina peering at a window. All I saw next was your wife pushing Rosalina out of the way, and the ship crashed on her."

That stunned me. _My wife risked her life to save Rosalina…from a danger that could have been easily avoided. _Before I could say anything, the doctor came to look at her.

He checked her, turned to me, and said, "I'm sorry…"

I couldn't contain it. So many emotions jumped in my head, and none of them were joy. _This couldn't be happening. My wife, my first and only, my sweet Roseanne, was gone…forever. _My face filled to the brim with tears. My throat choked up. I couldn't talk. I could only look at her, at a face that had so much love and life in it, that has now disappeared. I couldn't let go of her.

I thought about all that could've been done to stop this. Mario could have helped me turn the ship away. Toadsworth could have kept a closer eye on my family. Rosalina should have stayed where was. _What was she thinking? _Rage replaced my tears. I could only think of who to blame for letting this happen. But of all the people I was angry at, I was the angriest at myself.

Princess Toadstool then spoke to the crowd, "Listen everyone, I know we have had a great loss tonight, but right now we have to work together to make sure everyone is taken care of. We need to get anyone injured to the hospital and make sure everyone who lost their homes have shelter." Her eyes veered toward Roseanne. "We'll prepare a funeral for the dead tomorrow."

The crowd moved once again. The injured Toads made their way to the hospital. Luckily, that wasn't destroyed in the raid. Some went to the houses that were standing, bringing some now homeless Toads with them. Others went with Toadstool back to the castle. Besides the decimation on the front, the rest of the castle was left intact. There were some spare rooms for some more Toads.

Mario, his kids, and Rosalina followed Toadstool to the castle.

I didn't. I just stayed there. Eventually, I was left alone in the field, alone in my thoughts. I didn't know how long I was there. Time seemed to stand still and zoom by all at the same time. I felt a slight tug. "Daddy?"

I nearly forgot. Here I was lying on the field and I forgot about her. It seemed Mario sent her back to me. She had a confused look on her face, wondering what has happened. I looked at her. I tried to smile back. "Come on…Let's go home."

The two of us walked back to our house. I had to pass the hill. All the memories, the times we had together as a happy family, flooded my mind. I couldn't hold the tears back, but I didn't make a sound. I didn't want her to worry. Finally, we reached the house. Rosalina went back to her room. I went to mine. I slumped on my bed, now empty. It seemed darker than usual.


	8. Chapter 8: The Long Days

That night was the longest night of my life.

When the next day came, I couldn't think of doing anything. I didn't eat at all that day. I just waited for the funeral to come. It was fine. I don't remember much of it. I was too distracted. What I do remember was Mario coming to me, asking how I was doing.

"I'm fine." That didn't fool him.

"Listen, I know you haven't eaten. Why don't you come to the castle for dinner?"

"I'm fine."

Mario sighed, "Luigi, we're all struggling with Roseanne's death, but that doesn't mean you should handle this alone."

"Are you?"

Mario was slightly confused. "What?"

"Are you really struggling with this. Are you struggling with the loss of my wife? Are you struggling with the fact that I couldn't keep my promise to come back to her, or with the fact this could have been prevented if you would have helped me steer the ship away?"

"It wouldn't have made a difference."

"You don't know that. And now, I'm just supposed to live my life like normal and just let go of my sadness? No. Her life deserves more than that."

Mario spoke again sternly. "I'm not telling you to let go of her. I'm not telling you to pretend that life is going to be what it's always been. I'm telling you not to let this grief last longer than it should, and have some hope, hope that good days are still to come."

My mind rattled over these thoughts. "How?" I yelled. "How could there be any hope after this?!"

"Well, you have us… and Rosalina."

I clamped shut. _How could I go against that_? It was a truth I didn't want to accept. If I just became joyful, wouldn't it just disrespect all of my memories with her? Every loving moment, from the day I met her to now. How could I be happy without her? I didn't talk anymore.

Mario sighed. "If you're not coming, can Rosalina eat with us?"

I just gave a simple nod and walked away.

Few more weeks past, and I didn't change. I barely did anything, even the essentials, like eating and sleeping. I rarely left the house. It turned out the Star Festival was in a few days. I didn't plan on going. What was the point?

Around evening, Rosalina came inside my room. She was also sad that her mom was gone. I was no help cheering her up. In fact, I sometimes forgot about her. But this time, she was cheerier than usual.

"Daddy, can I use your telescope?"

An odd request, but I paid no mind. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Thank you." She went upstairs to the attic and came back down with the telescope.

Her giddy demeaner did strike me with curiosity. The only time I took out the telescope out of the attic was when we used to stargaze on the hill. "Why do you need it?"

"I'm looking for my friend's momma."

_Her friend's momma? _That response caught me off guard. She just lost her mother. Why is she looking for someone else's? "And who is this friend of yours."

"It's a Luma."

I smirked a little bit. "Oh…well go ahead." _So, she has an imaginary friend. I mean, it couldn't be a real Luma. _Lumas were just characters in bedtime stories that Roseanne would tell. It seemed now that Rosalina's imagination was reflecting what she missed most about her mom. I guess we all mourn in different ways.

A few more days past. Things were still the same except, I noticed that Rosalina was absent more often. I bet she was still looking for that "Luma's" momma.

It was the day of the Star festival. Everyone was supposed to be there, and Toadstool was running it. I didn't feel like going, until I heard a knock at the door.

I opened the door. "Hey, Uncle!" Their dad was with them.

I put on my forced smile. "Hey there."

Without question or hesitation, the two of them dashed inside my house, all jumping and running around. "Hey, where's Rosalina?" Mario Jr. asked.

Mario was embarrassed by their behavior. "Kids, stop running around!"

"But we want to play with Rosalina." Little Luigi replied.

"Not now. We aren't going to be here long. Come back over here."

"Okay." Both nephews said grudgingly. The walked back to their dad.

"What do you want?" I asked

"Kids, would you like to ask?"

"Okay," Luigi Jr. started talking, "Is it okay if you can come to..."

Mario Jr. Interrupted. "Can you come to the festival tonight, pleeeease? They have fireworks…and food."

Both asked at the same time, "Please?"

I paused for a moment. I really didn't want to go, but even my sad heart was still moved by their whimpering, begging face. "Oh, alright. I'll go."

"You promise?" Little Luigi asked, oblivious to what that word meant to me.

"Okay."

Mario interjected. "Now, go hug your uncle goodbye. We'll see him later." With that, both came and hugged me. They could only reach my leg, but a sincere hug, nonetheless.

Mario came up to me. "I'm glad you can make it." He hugged me too, which was kind of odd. Until he whispered something. "Please, don't disappoint them." I just gave a nod, and they all left.


	9. Chapter 9: The Festival

It was going to be my first time really going out since the funeral. It seemed so long ago. I guessed I needed it. I did have feelings of not going, but I couldn't betray my nephews. _Crafty brother, bringing his children to entice me to go. Shame it worked. _

I went to Rosalina's room to check on her. I wondered where she went. I figured it out pretty quickly. I went to the attic, and the telescope was gone. Just as I thought. She was looking for that Luma's "momma." I wasn't too worried about it. Every time she disappeared, she always returned. Now I had to worry about this festival.

Evening came as quickly as it felt. I put on my simple casual clothing and walked my way towards the castle. As I paced towards the festival location, I heard a big explosion. I jumped, shifting my head towards the sound, tensing my body as if I was preparing for battle. Luckily, it was just fireworks. For once, an explosion didn't come from an enemy warcraft. My heart relaxed, and I kept walking.

To move towards the festival activities, I had to pass the hill again. My stomach churned. I paced faster. And there I saw it. The castle town, decorated in strings of lights, tents and carts serving. There was tents and carts serving food and sparklers. Even in repairs, the town was still a sight to behold, clothed in light. Not even an invasion would stop these Toads to celebrate this occasion. I could hear cheering and laughter whenever the fireworks weren't going off.

I walked down through the crowded streets, trying to find a familiar face. I did sample some of the vendors' food, my favorite being the pasta with mushroom marinara, a classic comfort food.

As I walked, I felt a tug on my part leg. "Uncle." I turned around to see a familiar face, dressed in red like his father.

"Hey, there. Where's your dad?"

"Oh, he's over there, trying out the meatballs."

I wasn't surprised. He was kind of a glutton. He says all the work he does balances out his diet.

I saw the other junior running towards me. "Hey, Uncle." He gave me a hug. Something about kids and hugs. "I'm happy you came." He turned to his brother. "Mario, daddy wants us to stay close to him. Mom's about to say her speech."

"Okay, are you coming, Uncle?"

I honestly couldn't avoid them. "I guess I could try those meatballs."

The two took my hands and pulled me through the crowds once more. I tried my best not to bump into anyone. I guess it was inevitable when nephews are leading the way.

"Daddy!" Both juniors shouted.

"Oh, there you are. I see you brought your uncle with you." Mario looked at me. "I'm glad you made it." The way he said it seemed like I granted some wish he made for a while.

A clang of cymbals startled me once again. A fanfare of trumpets proceeded as Princess Toadstool, dressed in royal pink, appeared from the castle to a high balcony which overlooked the entire crowd. Everyone started clapping as he came. I joined along. I saw Mario and my nephews clapping harder than anyone else. She raised her hand to bring the cheering to silence. It was time for her Festival Dedication.

"Welcome everyone and thank you all for coming today." Her voice maintained a sense of peace and calm, while still able to speak with a volume so everyone could hear. "I am deeply honored to be with you as we celebrate another year of the Light Festival." All the Toads cheered. It made sense. Out of all that happened, it was a surprise that the festival continued. "I also must say the cuisines were wonderful this year, especially those meatballs." A few chuckled. Others nodded in agreement.

"While we do adore the festivities, it is also important to remember why we celebrate this day in the first place. The reason comes from the stories of the Lumas, creatures who live beyond the sky, giving their light, turning into planets, stars, and comets, some we can see now. However, their light doesn't always last. As time passes, they turn to dust and bits of stars, no longer shedding light for the world. But all isn't lost. The star dust of the Lumas come together to birth new Lumas, continuing the cycle of light." Her speeches were always different than the previous years, but this seemed specific.

"So, on this day, we must always remember why we celebrate. No matter where we are, there is always light, and no matter how dark the night might be, the starts will always shine." She held a glass, others followed suit. "So, let us all toast, to new days, new life, and to a new year. Let light always shine."

"Here, here!" A barrage of yells and cheers clothed the town, followed by clapping and clinging of glasses. The laughing and usual festival behavior continued.

But I didn't. I just stood there, contemplating what Toadstool declared on the balcony. _No matter how dark…the stars will always shine._

It reminded me of my promise, not to my wife, but to my daughter. _As long as the stars shine, I will always love you. _Her speech made me realize that even though Rosanne's was gone, her love wasn't. I will still love her, even after her passing. Our love never left, like the stars.

I did admit my nights were very dark, and honestly, I thought there was no love, no hope left, but it never did. Not only did I have her love, but I had the love of the rest of my family. I was too blind to see. Mario was right as well. There is still hope for brighter days.

_What have I done? What have I been doing this whole time?_


	10. Chapter 10: Another Lost

_All this time, I was moping about what I didn't have, when I was supposed to be cherishing what I did have… like Rosalina. I have wasted my time without her. _

"Hey brother, are you doing okay?"

"I…uh…I…I have to go." I turned to leave, but I paused, turned back around and embraced Mario.

"Oh, what's with you?"

"You were right. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

"It's okay." He patted my back, "I forgive you. I'm just happy you see it now."

"Yeah, but right now, there's someone else I need to apologize to." I turned back around and ahead back home. Once I passed the crowd, I darted towards the house. I started thinking of what to say to her, after all this time of rejecting her. I was now ready to start things fresh. I wasn't going to let grief bring me down anymore.

I opened the door. "Rosalina?" Not a word. I was she was back from her visit with that friend. It was later than usual. Maybe she was just sleeping in her room.

I creaked open the door to make sure I didn't wake her. She wasn't there. If I was my usual self, I would've ignored it, but not today. I was not going to ignore this. My daughter's too important to me. I scoured the rest of the house, including the attic and the back yard, constantly calling her name. Not a word.

While I was outside, I noticed a comet flying past our house. The white and blue tail left as soon as I saw it. I wasn't going to get distracted from it. I had to find her and tell her I'm sorry. Finally, I checked my room, and on my bed, there was a piece of paper folded in a square. _Was it from her? _I picked it up and read the note. Even with her handwriting I could understand what she wrote, and it stunned me.

"Dear Daddy, I went with Luma to space to find his Momma. I will be back soon. Love, Rosalina."

_Went to space? What does that even mean. She couldn't be serious. The Luma was just an imaginary friend. _But then I looked around the house again. I noticed some things missing. My telescope and her butterfly net were missing. I went to the kitchen, and the bread, cheese, and the tea kettle was gone, along with bags of apricot tea.

The amount of food missing wasn't for a picnic. It was enough for at least a three-day journey. I didn't know how much of that note was actually true, but something told me she was going away.

A familiar feeling wrenched in my gut. It was the same feeling I had when the ship crashed the castle. No! I didn't want to give in to fear and grief again. I had to have hope, hope that I will see her again. I took a deep breath and sprinted back to Mario and Toadstool.

Just like how I ran with Roseanne and Rosalina to the safe room, and just like how I ran to the castle to make sure they were okay, I ran…with all my might. I was determined to find her before it was to late. I approached the castle town. They looked like they were removing the décor. The festival had ended.

"Mario!" He turned around in confusion. He set down the lights he was getting down from the buildings.

"What's going on, you don't look so well."

"Where's the Princess, I'm going to need all you help. Rosalina's gone missing."

Mario took a step back, eyes widened, "Wait, what do you mean she's missing?"

I gave him the note. His eyes grew even more as he scanned the paper. "What does she mean she'll be back soon?"

"I…don't know. I just want to find her." We both went to the castle I explained to the princess what happened. For some reason, both of them gave me odd look, as if the way I said the news was odd. If you asked them now, they would say I was calm, collected. I'll admit, it was unusual for me. I had a feeling inside me.

As the search continued, it just confirmed what I felt. Everyone, the Toads, the princess, the rest of her family tried finding her, but it was no use. Rosalina was gone. Everyone tried their bet to her, and then they tried their best to tell it to me. I was all the same. She was gone.

I did cry. But these tears were different. Although she was gone just like Roseanne, this time I had hope. I hoped that what she wrote on that note will come true to its entirety. Mario did have heart to tell me to hope for better days. Now I can only believe that she will come back to me some day.

I just hope that while she's gone, she'll remember my promise. As long as the stars shine, I will always love her, my shining star.

Thank you so much for reading this fanfiction. It was a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it all the same.

It may be a while for me to write a new story due to other matters, but it will come in time.

Until then, thanks again.


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